The city council shall create a planning commission to advise the council of planning, land use, zoning, community development, and other matters as referred by council, as well as to review subdivision plats, if applicable.

The planning commission shall consist of five (5) members, to be appointed by the city council for terms of four (4) years. Prospective planning commission members shall be nominated by a city council member and approved by a majority vote of those city council members present and voting. All planning commission members must be legal residents or own a business inside of the city limits with a valid business license of the City of Pickens and shall not hold any other elected or appointed public office in Pickens County. Planning commission members shall serve no more than two (2) successive full terms. Any planning commission member whose term has expired shall continue to serve until a replacement shall have been appointed by the city council.

The city council shall make its initial appointment of planning commission members within ninety (90) days of the adoption of this chapter. For the initial appointment, two (2) members shall serve for terms of four (4) years, two (2) members shall serve for terms of three (3) years, and one (1) member shall serve for a term of two (2) years. It shall be at the determination of the mayor as to which initial terms planning commission members are assigned.

The officers of the commission shall be a chairman and vice chairman elected for one year terms at the first meeting of the commission in each calendar year. The commission shall appoint a member of the staff as secretary of the commission.

The chairman shall be a voting member of the commission and shall:

• Call meetings of the commission.

• Preside at meetings and hearings.

• Act as spokesperson for the commission.

• Sign documents for the commission.

• Transmit reports and recommendations to council.

• Perform other duties approved by the commission.

The vice chairman shall exercise the duties of the chairman in the absence, disability, or disqualification of the chairman. In the absence of the chairman and vice chairman, an acting chairman shall be elected by the members present.

The secretary shall:

• Provide notice of meetings.

• Assist the chairman in preparation of agenda.

• Keep minutes of meetings and hearings.

• Maintain commission records as public records.

• Attend to commission correspondence.

• Perform other duties normally carried out by the secretary.

• Contact all applicants who are on the agenda to verify the date of the meeting.

• Contact all commission members to verify their attendance of each meeting.

1108.1. Time and place. An annual schedule of regular meetings shall be adopted, published and posted at city hall in December of each year. Special meetings may be called by the chairman upon twenty-four (24) hours' notice, posted, and delivered to all members and local news media. Meetings hall be held in city council chambers and shall be open to the public.

1108.2. Agenda. A written agenda shall be furnished by the secretary to each member of the commission and the news media, and shall be posted at least seven (7) days prior to each regular meeting, and at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to a special meeting. Applicants that would like to be placed on the agenda must have their completed application and/or information to the secretary no later than seven (7) days prior to the scheduled meeting. Items cannot be added to the agendas of regularly schedule meetings after the seven-day deadline. All applicants must be present at the meeting to have their case heard. If the applicant does not attend the meeting, the commission will table the case until the next scheduled meeting.

1108.3. Quorum. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. A quorum shall be present before any business is conducted other that rescheduling the meeting.

1108.4. Voting. A member must be present to vote. Each member shall vote on every question unless disqualified by law. The question of disqualification shall be decide by the member affected, who shall announce, the reason for disqualification, give it to the chairman in writing, have it placed in the minutes, and refrain from deliberating or voting on the question.

1109.1. Notice. The secretary shall give the notice for all public hearings conducted by the commission. Members of the public designing to be heard shall give written notice to the secretary prior to the commencement o the hearing. A signup sheet will be available for those wanting to speak.

1109.2. Procedure. In matters brought before the commission for public hearing which were initiated by an applicant, the applicant, his agent or attorney shall be hear first, members of the public neat and staff next. The applicant shall have the right to reply last. No person may speak for more than five (5) minutes without consent of the commission. No person speaking at a public hearing shall be subject to cross examination. All questions shall be posed by members of the commission. In matters not initiated by an applicant, members of the public shall speak in the order in which requests were received or in such order as the commission shall determine.

1110.1. Minutes. The secretary shall record all meetings and hearings of the commission on tape which shall be preserved until final action is taken on all matters presented. The secretary shall prepare minutes each meeting for approval by the commission at the next regular meeting. Minutes shall be maintained as public records.

1110.2. Reports. The secretary shall assist in the preparation and forwarding of all reports and recommendations of the commission in appropriate form. Copies of all notices, correspondence, reports and forms shall be maintained as public records.

1110.3. Attendance. The minutes shall show the members in attendance at each meeting and the reason for absence submitted by any member. The commission shall recommend to the governing body the removal for cause of any member who is absent from three consecutive meetings without adequate reason.

It shall be the function of the planning commission to prepare and update the city's comprehensive plan and program for the physical, social, economic growth of the city in order to promote the public health, safety, morals, convenience, prosperity, or general welfare, as well as the efficiency and economy in the development of the municipality. Specifically, the planning commission shall have the authority and responsibility to:

A.

Prepare and revise periodically a comprehensive plan and program for the development of the city.

B.

Prepare and recommend for adoption to the city council a zoning ordinance (to include text and maps), subdivision regulations, and an official map. The commission may also prepare a landscape ordinance and capital improvements plan.

C.

Study and report on other planning, community development, economic development, and land use matters, as assigned by city council.

D.

Prepare and recommend to the city council for adoption regulations pertaining to the subdivision of land within the city.

E.

If a comprehensive plan containing at least a major street element shall have been adopted, and if subdivision regulations shall have been adopted, then the planning commission shall have review and approval/disapproval authority over subdivision plats.